Places on this Skoot
National WWII Museum
945 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA
by Hilton 
In a diverse city that’s alive with traditions, there’s no shortage of attractions for arts and culture-oriented travelers. Festivals, multicultural museums, distinctive and world-famous music have their home here. Swing down to NOLA and check out TravelSkoot’s list of the top spots to enjoy this part of the country’s arts and culture.
Designated by Congress as the country's official World War II museum, the National World War II Museum illuminates the American experience during the war. Four interactive exhibits, blending oral histories from veterans worldwide with artifacts, photographs and never-before-seen film footage, take visitors through the weeks leading up to the Normandy landing and other assaults. It was in New Orleans that Andrew Higgins built the landing craft used in the invasions, which Dwight Eisenhower believed won the war for the Allies.
Sponsored by Hilton
For an exquisite taste of culture and education encompassing the South, visit the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. The marvelous regional masterpieces will take you on an enlightening journey through the eyes and minds of renowned Southern masters such as Benny Andrews and Nene Humphry. In addition to its permanent collections and changing exhibitions, the stunning architecture of the buildings is also quite impressive, with the dramatic atrium stealing the show. Join Ogden After Hours to listen to live music at the museum.
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The Contemporary Arts Center is where art-lovers go to get their fix of avant-garde exhibits and exceptional performances. Featuring dozens of exhibits each year, this 10,000-square-foot arts center houses rotating collections that include fine photography, graphic art, sculptures and glasswork. Also on the premises are two theaters, where local performers conduct plays, dance events and music concerts. Certainly a hot spot in the arts community, the center is host to various workshops and sought-after annual events such as White Linen and Art for Art's Sake.
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The Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts is once again home to the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the New Orleans Opera Association and the New Orleans Ballet Association. Located just across from the French Quarter in Louis Armstrong Park, this 2,100-seat venue is the first of three major theaters in New Orleans to reopen after the damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The theater now welcomes renowned comedians as well as gospel, jazz and blues musicians.
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Experience artwork dating back to the 16th century at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Located in City Park, the $200 million collection is spread across 46 galleries and is made up of more than 40,000 objects. As the preeminent museum in the Gulf South, NOMA emphasizes French and American art, photography, and African and Japanese works. Take a stroll through the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, a five-acre collection of contemporary sculptures nestled between old oak and magnolia trees.
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Stay at the center of it all at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, a "hotel within a hotel" in a prime downtown location on the banks of the Mississippi. The full-service luxury complex features newly redesigned Riverside guest rooms, an expansive Health and fitness Club and a breathtaking rooftop Executive Lounge featuring panoramic views of the city. With flexible meeting space on three levels and function rooms linked by escalators, the hotel is the ideal site to hold any event. In the evenings, dine at a local favorite Drago’s Seafood Restaurant “home of the original charbroiled oyster.” With the famous Riverwalk at its doorstep, the Hilton New Orleans Hotel Riverside puts guests right at the heart of the fabulous shopping, dining and entertainment New Orleans has to offer.
Sponsored by Hilton
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